Making Amends
by Choice
Summary: Years after Roy aids Mullet Fingers and Beatrice in saving the Burrowing Owls from disaster, an old friend is found again. But there's one question: does Roy want to find Mullet Fingers again, after being forgotten for so long? SLASH, MulletxRoy COMPLETE!
1. The Past Comes Back

**- - Making Amends - -**

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_Chapter One, _The Past Comes Back

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Roy Eberhardt, now a boy of nearly eighteen years, couldn't recall the last time he'd ever felt so upset and bothered. 

He lay on the roof of the _Molly Bell_, his top half-from his chest up-leaned toward the water below. Glowering, he watched a school of silvery fish dart across his path, and he set them all with a glare. He precisely shot a hand into the water, into the gyrating body of fleeting fish, and successfully captured a single, glassy-feeling moonlight-colored fish within his fingers. The little Mullet gaped at him, eyes blank and fins twitching to and fro.

"Stupid Mullets…" He muttered. He felt an urge to smash the defenseless creature inside of his hand, but the better part of his conscience overrode the "Devil" in him; he gently tossed the fish back into the water to catch up with his group.

After all the ruckus with Mother Paula's was done and over with, Roy had thought that Mullet Fingers, now revealed as Napoleon would have reappeared into Roy's now-dull life, alight with some other conservation-animal-saving scheme, but no, Roy was wrong. It was like there _was_ no Mullet Fingers, like he was just an imaginary person Roy's mind had come up with. Beatrice, though she still attended the same school as Roy, hardly had time for him, what with her busy soccer schedule and stepbrother to attend to.

_"Sorry Cowgirl, but ol' Mullet Fingers told me that he wanted to be left alone for some time. Don't think that he hates you or anything, but he's been having a tough time keeping out of the Public Eye, and with our mother after his hide, he can't have word spread about where he is, you know?"_

That had been a good year ago that Beatrice had told him that, and every time his mind revisited her slightly solemn and regretful face saying that to him, he got madder and madder. Was he just someone Mullet Fingers had _used_ to put his save-the-Burrowing-Owls-plan into effect? It's what it seemed like to Roy, and although he was all for saving the Owls, he felt betrayed by his supposed friends, Beatrice and Mullet.

"I can understand wanting to be hidden from people for a bit until things calm down, but it's been _years _since I've ever seen that godforsaken face of his!" Roy growled to himself, clenching his hands together into identical fists, turning white from the pressure.

He berated himself, cursing slightly uncharacteristic of Roy for cussing!-when his vision blurred with angry, frustrated tears. Sighing, he pushed himself up into a sitting position, minding the spot on the boat where the wood wasn't as strong.

A midsummer's afternoon in Florida was unbearably hot, and the sun sparkled down on the water, creating a crystal-effect against the lagoon's surface. Being so humid and warm out, Roy opted for a pair of plain black swimming trunks, nothing more and nothing less. He really didn't intend to do much swimming, but it was just for the sake of being able to if he had to.

He couldn't keep track of how many times he'd come out here, hopefully looking around for a sight of gleaming dirty blonde hair, or listening for a chuckle whenever he tried his hands-literally-at catching Mullets in the water. But now, it was more of something to do with his free time during the summer holidays than for a chance of spotting the now-disappeared Mullet Fingers.

You would think that with the Mother Paula's incident that Roy would be a more popular person among his peers. In the beginning, he was surrounded with new faces, all seeming like they were his friends since the beginning, but Roy turned them all down, acting curt with them and being polite enough to not seem rude. He didn't want their friendship, tainted with the fact of "fame". He wanted the real friendships he'd had before the pancake house had happened. He wanted Beatrice and Mullet Fingers. He wanted the lazy summer days out in the Everglades. He didn't want people who only talked of celebrities and the latest Hollywood trends. He wanted-no, _craved_, the company of people who were more mature.

He gave up the dreams of _ever_ seeing Mullet Fingers again, and came to terms with the cold, hard fact that he would never see Mullet…ever again. He was saddened, close to depressed, that Mullet Fingers basically never wanted to talk to him again. Roy knew he wasn't the brightest, coolest, or most popular boy in Coconut Cove, but he thought that his company was amicable, at least. Apparently, his presence wasn't desired in the least. At least, not to the one person that mattered the most to Roy.

This time, he let himself shed one or two tears. He wasn't wanted at all by Mullet, and it burned himself from the inside out to know that _animals_ were more desirable to Mullet than a pathetic, scrawny Roy Eberhardt, the one that was invisible, bullied, and looked down upon.

He sighed, this time not with fury but with sorrow, and wiped his eyes. Reclining on the boat's surface, he frowned as he watched an alligator, which was extremely well hidden watch him with reptilian eyes.

A rustle sounded in a bush near him, but he didn't pay it much mind; animals were always scurrying about around here. It was only when there was a second rustle, and a groan of pain, that Roy became alert, eyes darting around the premises for any kind of predator or person who had the intention of harming.

He saw nothing and no one, and suspiciously looked about, seating himself once more on the boat. He caught movement from the corner of his left eye, and swiveled his head around so fast that his neck creaked a bit from the quick jolt.

"Who's there?" Roy shouted, gripping the withered edge of the _Molly Bell_.

"Nnngh…" Was his only response. Quickly jumping into action, Roy leapt from _Molly Bell_ onto the ground, and ran over to the moving bush.

He parted the leafy green shrubbery and was greeted, much to his surprise, to an owlishly blinking, wide-mouthed Mullet Fingers.

His old companion didn't look much different; he still had his sandy blond hair that reached his shoulders, his caramel-colored skin, and usual attire of a shirt, shorts, and bare feet.

"Mullet Fingers…?" Roy muttered in shock.

"Hi," The said boy squeaked out, frozen in place.

Regaining himself, Roy narrowed his eyes and a frown formed on his face.

"What're _you _doing here?" He asked his voice heavily laced with suspicion.

"It's not like you own these parts or anything," Mullet Fingers said defensively, crab-crawling back, away from Roy.

"Still, why are you_ here_? After all this time?"

"Because."

"A better excuse than that, you moron!"

"Because I can?"

"Ugh!" Roy threw his hands in the air in exasperation, and got up, looking down at Mullet Fingers with something akin to hate.

"Whatever, Mullet, I'll just be on my way then, if you don't need to _use_ me in another one of your animal-saving stunts." Roy shouted bitterly, stomping off to his home.

* * *

So he was back, after all this time. No reasons, no apologies, nothing.

How was it that once you got over a problem, it just came right back?

Roy remembered how much it hurt in the beginning, to be rejected by his supposed friends. Didn't his loyalty and trust mean _anything_ to them?

He was tempted to ring Beatrice, to question her a bit and get her uncomfortable to ease his own distress, but the girl had gone out-of-state, to visit with some relatives in Maryland.

It was just about nine at night, so the sky outside his bedroom window was a deep blue, dotted with stars in intricate patterns. He was facedown on his bed, his face crammed into one of his pillows, nearly suffocating him. But Roy didn't really care; his mind was thinking about other troubles.

Unfortunately for him, Roy's problem went deeper than it seemed. Those years back, when Mullet was still in contact with him, he was attached to the boy who was Beatrice's stepbrother.

It all started with utter fascination that one boy near his own age could make such a big difference, and then it morphed into something close to admiration for the blond-haired rebel. One day, he was shell-shocked at a revelation he made, around the time when the owls' problem was just about solved: Roy loved Mullet Fingers.

No, not in the way a boy loves his dog, or someone loves their friend, but love-love, as in "I really,_ really_ like you" love. He found himself dreaming about grey-blue eyes constantly, even during classes, and he awoke one night in a shout when he found that his body had… _responded_ to an intense dream.

So when Mullet Fingers disappeared off of the face of Roy's life, it wasn't the hurt and loneliness of a betrayed friend, but also the stabbing pain of being rejected.

It took Roy a good two years to get over himself, and even now he still felt repressed feelings for Mullet. He chided himself that he would just get hurt again, but his heart ignored him, blindly shining and beating with a newfound hope that acceptance would be found.

The brunette stirred from his spot on his bed when he heard a scratching noise at his window. There weren't any trees nearby, so it wouldn't be a branch tapping against the pane. It was too late for any bird to be out; would a bug make such a ruckus?

When Roy turned to look at another scratching sound, a bashfully smiling Mullet Fingers was the last thing he expected to see at the other side of that window.

Roy gasped, eyes rounded, and felt a jolt of fear at seeing a person, but then when he recognized the stranger, fear was replaced with a slowly crawling dread.

He got up from his bed and went up to his window, his mouth in a straight line.

Unlocking the window, he glared distrustfully at Mullet. The boy still had the stupid smile on his face.

When Roy opened the window, he said, voice full of venom,

"What the heck do you want?"

"I guess I have some explaining to do."

* * *

Ha-ha, I randomly decided to write this thing from some odd inspiration when I paged through the book, Hoot.

This isn't going to be a million chapters long. Actually, I plan to only have three or four chapters.

If you didn't already catch the hint, this is a SLASH story, meaning that if you're a homophobic, you should run off.

Also, I don't think I'll be updating this soon, since I don't have much access to computers at the moment and I still have to think of my Harry Potter story waiting to be worked on.

I hope you enjoyed this first chapter, and remember: reviews help the updating process speed up!

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_Until Next Time,_

**Inkyish.**


	2. Mullet Makes Amends

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_Chapter Two, _Mullet Makes Amends_

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_Last Chapter:

_When Roy opened the window, he said, voice full of venom,_

"_What the heck do you want?"_

"

* * *

Roy looked at Mullet Fingers with furious disbelief etched onto his features. His grip on the window tightened, threatening to crack the glass beneath his now-white fingers. 

"Like hell you do!"

Mullet Fingers raised his eyebrows in surprise, but said nothing about it, lest he incensed Roy more.

"Look, will you just give me a chance, at least?" Mullet pleaded, refusing to cower from the scary appearance Roy cast.

"You had your chance, those years ago, to pop up and 'explain' yourself! When I finally get over your stupid, hurtful scheme of _using_ me to help you save those owls is not when you should have came back to try and make amends!"

"But I never used you!" Mullet said in surprise, flabbergasted. Roy growled beneath his breath. They both froze when they heard footsteps outside of Roy's closed door.

"Roy, dear, are you alright in there?" Mrs. Eberhardt called through the door, knocking quietly against it. Roy gulped, and yelled,

"I'm fine, mom, just… talking to someone on the telephone," He lied, hoping to whatever gods there were that his mother took the bait.

"…Okay honey, but try to get some sleep, would you?" She asked tiredly, and with that, she walked off. Roy let out a sigh of relief, and turned back to Mullet, glaring though his anger had dampened a bit.

"Don't you _dare_ lie to me and expect me to believe that you distanced yourself from me to _help_ me!" He said in a quieter tone than before, though his gritted teeth and expression spoke volumes.

"But I did keep from you to help you, honest!" Mullet said, holding his hands in front of him in defense. Roy rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, how?"

"After Mother Paula's, you remember how smothering my mom was, right?"

Roy just stared, folding his arms across his chest.

"Well, after I ran off, since she was using me for publicity all the time, B told me that she swore that the next time she saw me, she'd skin my hide and get the 'other hooligan' who helped me keep my cover." Mullet explained, sitting against the windowsill.

Roy wanted to believe it, but slowed himself.

"What about Beatrice, then? She helped you, so wouldn't that mean she would get 'her hide skinned' too?"

Mullet smiled a sad smile.

"You know how she went to Kentucky for the summer?"

Roy said nothing but nodded his head hesitantly. He was wondering where Mullet was going with this.

"She didn't go there because she wanted a vacation. Well, I guess you _could_ say she needed a vacation… from my mother and stepfather."

_Mullet stared in surprise as Beatrice stumbled into his new hiding spot in an abandoned shoe warehouse hidden in the Everglades. She was worse for wear, to say the least. Her one eye was a sickly green-yellow, which meant that it had once been a black eye, and she had random bruises and cuts that marred her body. It looked like her right wrist was smarting; by the way she cradled it against her chest with her good wrist was an indication._

_"Beatrice… what the heck happened to you?" Mullet gasped out once he collected himself._

_"Your mom happened, that's what," She spat ruefully, frowning sadly as she looked like she was about to cry. Beatrice hardly ever cried, and when Mullet saw her eyes water up, he gently pulled her into a sitting position next to him, gently hugging her to him. She was shaking a bit, and she bit her lip when Mullet accidentally touched a bruise on her side._

_"Mullet, you'd better lay as low as a damned snake, you hear? They're both out lookin' for you, and thank god they don't know where Roy lives, or who he is for that matter. It finally pays off to have parents who can't be bothered to read the Coconut Cove papers," She smiled bitterly, and plowed on._

_"I can only go off during the summers, to my Aunt Millie in Paducah, but I'll deal with the time I have to spend at home when I go to school. Besides, I only have a few more years of school. Even then, I can see if Aunt Millie will let me stay with her and transfer schools, regardless of what mom may say in defense." She took in a breath, and released it slowly._

_"The only thing that's worryin' me is you. Are you going to be okay without me here to make sure you stay in line?" She asked, only half teasing. Mullet shook his head in disbelief at his stepsister and partner-in-crime._

_"How could you ask me that? Of course I'll be fine, you should be worrying about getting yourself out of that Devil's Hole!"_

_She smiled in adoration at her stepbrother, and two fat tears rolled down her cheeks as she gave a sobbing sigh. Despite her stinging wounds, she wrapped her arms tight around Mullet Fingers, burying her face in the crook of his neck._

_"Just promise me that you'll keep Roy safe, if I ever do get to leave Coconut Cove. Promise me that, and I'll leave without a heavy heart or a complaining conscience."_

_"Of course, B. Roy's done so much for us, I don't want to get him involved in this mess my crazy mom's created."_

_Beatrice had left for Kentucky that summer, as well as the next, and the next._

Roy gaped at Mullet Fingers, at loss of what to say. Mullet just offered a grim smile in return.

"After this summer, she's not coming back to Coconut Cove, Roy."

Roy looked down, suddenly overwhelmed with guilt and humiliation.

"Is she… did it get any worse?" He asked hesitantly, not sure if he would like the answer or not.

"The only other thing aside from bruises, cuts, and sprains was the one burn she got when my insane witch of a mother shoved B against the stove, which had been on not too long before. She had grabbed for the top of it, and the metal was red-hot, so…" He trailed off, his eyes looking into the distance as he remembered.

"…I'm… I'm sorry…" Roy said uncertainly, glancing to the side as he scratched the back of his head.

"It's not your fault at all, and besides, one of us shoulda told you after so many years of avoiding you," Mullet said apologetically, gently fisting Roy's shoulder. Roy smiled, suddenly feeling embarrassed.

"So what were you doing where I was that day I found you in the brush?"

Mullet turned a feverish red, and for a moment, Roy worried for the boy's health.

"N-Nothing," The Mullet finally stuttered out, tensing up and turning even redder.

Roy furrowed his eyebrows at the strange outcast, but thought nothing much of it.

"So…" Roy said awkwardly, leaning up against his bedroom wall as he stared at Mullet Fingers from the corner of his eyes. "What's your next big environmentalist project you're concocting?"

Mullet Fingers raised his dirty-blonde eyebrows up so high that they disappeared in his fringe.

"What makes you think I have another plan up my sleeves?" He asked, fidgeting in his place on the metal frame of the windowsill. He wasn't in danger of falling; Roy's bedroom was on the first floor, so there was only a five-foot drop, at most.

"Well, don't you always have something of the sort to help the animals? It's what you live for," Roy said frankly, turning his head to meet Mullet's crystal-blue eyes.

"I live for the moment, you moron," Mullet laughed, crossing his legs Indian-style. "But… as far as animal-saving escapades go, I haven't thought or seen anything that I could…involve myself with, so to speak," Mullet flashed his teeth in a grin, and Roy rolled his eyes with a fond smile.

"So do you still hide out in that abandoned shoe factory, or did you find yourself another place to crash?" Roy asked after a moment's pause. Mullet shrugged.

"I'm just around. I have no permanent hangout, and you should know that," Mullet chuckled, and continued. "I am still in that shoe factory, though,"

He got up from the sill, and vaulted himself down onto the ground outside. Roy, startled, leaned out of the window to stare at Mullet Fingers.

"Where're you going?" He asked, sounding desperate.

"Back to my 'home'," Mullet sniggered, "Besides, I wouldn't want to _impose_," He said conversationally, putting a hand on his hip. Roy huffed in disbelief.

"When did I ever say you were imposing on my time?" He asked, staring hard at the nature-boy.

Mullet smiled up at him.

"Never, but since you didn't invite me into your bedroom, I'd figured you were waiting for me to run along, so here I am,"

Roy seemed to panic for a second.

"No, please Mullet, don't go—"

"Don't worry, Tex," Mullet began, winking slyly at the brunette. "This isn't goodbye. Not by far."

Though Roy felt a blush crawl up his face, he asked, "Well, how will I find you again?"

"_I'll_ find _you_." He said simply, turning around to face the darkened woods. The owls and other nighttime creatures seemed to be calling to their friend to usher him into the night.

"How do I know you're telling me the—"

"Roy Eberhardt," Mullet Fingers interrupted, turning on his heel to look hard at the Montana-loving 'cowgirl'. "I _promise_ you that I'll be back to see you within this week."

Roy felt clammed up, so he just slunk on his windowsill and watched glumly as the back of his 'crush' retreated, the dark of the night swallowing every delicious, caramel-colored inch of him up, much to Roy's disappointment.

Slipping down against his wall, Roy felt depression, loneliness, and frustration sink into the marrow of his bones. Okay, so Mullet Fingers promised him that he would see him within this week? We'll see if he keeps his word on that one.

Darn, Roy thought, for a simpleton, that Mullet Fingers is definitely some enigma.

* * *

Voila, the second installment of "Making Amends"! I liked the last sentence of this chapter, hah. I couldn't resist adding it. 

Well, I've been getting one or two reviews asking about whether I would make this story any longer than what I said before, which was around five chapters. I'm sorry to say that no, this won't be looking forward to a lifespan longer than, at maximum, six chapters. For one, the plot will slowly wilt and die in time, which will lose readers' interest, and two; I've got another story to think about. I began "The Phoenix Bond" way before any ideas for "Making Amends" popped up in my head, so I owe it to that story, as well as its 'fans' to keep at it and complete _that_ story before thinking about writing another full-length fan fiction.

I'm not promising this, but there is a small possibility that I'll write another RoyxMullet fan fiction that'll be full-out full-length slashyness. I'm disappointed that there aren't many RoyxMullet fan fics out there, so I'll add my contributions to the cute couple by writing a few one shots and _maybe_ one long story. _Grins_

Well, that's all for now. I just wrote up this chapter because I'm waiting for my beta to send me the corrected seventh chapter of my Harry Potter story to me to be posted up. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and remember the thing about reviews making the whole writing process go by much faster!

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_Sincerely,_

**Inkyish.**


	3. Mullet's New Hideout

**-Making Amends - -**

_

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_

_Chapter Three, _Mullet's New Hideout

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Last Chapter:

_"Roy Eberhardt," Mullet Fingers interrupted, turning on his heel to look hard at the Montana-loving 'cowgirl'. "I promise you that I'll be back to see you within this week."_

_Roy felt clammed up, so he just slunk on his windowsill and watched glumly as the back of his 'crush' retreated, the dark of the night swallowing every delicious, caramel-colored inch of him up, much to Roy's disappointment._

_Slipping down against his wall, Roy felt depression, loneliness, and frustration sink into the marrow of his bones. Okay, so Mullet Fingers promised him that he would see him within this week? We'll see if he keeps his word on that one._

_Darn, Roy thought, for a simpleton, that Mullet Fingers is definitely some enigma.

* * *

_Roy was caught up in boredom on Wednesday afternoon. He made sure to stay put in his home, just in case Mullet Fingers ever came around like he promised. So far, nothing occurred.

He let his mind take him to the past, where there were better moments and memories of his friends…

He almost leaped out of his sneakers when a voice spoke out from the thicket behind him.

"Don't move!" the voice commanded.

"I wasn't planning to," Roy said. "Honest." ¹

_"Take a deep breath," advised the voice behind him._

_"I'm trying," Roy said._

_"Okay, now step backwards real slow on the count of three."_

_"Oh, I don't think so," said Roy._

_"One…"_

_"Now wait a second."_

_"Two…"_

_"Please!" Roy begged._

_"Three."_

_"I can't!"_

_"Three," the voice said again._

_Roy's legs felt like rubber as he teetered backward. A hand seized his shirt and yanked him into the thicket of pepper trees. As Roy's butt landed in the dirt, a hood came down over his face and his arms were jerked behind his back. Before he could react, a rope was looped twice around his wrists ad secured to the trunk of a tree. Roy could feel the smooth sticky back when he wiggled his fingers._

_"What's going on!" he demanded._

_"You tell me." The voice had moved in front of him._

"_Who are you? Why're you here?"_

"_My name is Roy Eberhardt. I saw you run by the school bus the other day."_

"_I don't know what you're talkin' about."_

"_On two different days, actually," Roy said. "I saw you running and I got curious. You looked kind of… I don't know, wired."_

"_Wasn't me."_

"_Yeah, it was." The snake wrangler was using a false husky tone—the voice of a boy trying to sound like a grownup._

_Roy said, "Honest, I didn't come out here to hassle you. Take off this hood so we can see each other, okay?"_

_He could hear the boy's breathing. Then: "You're gonna have to get outta here. Like right now."_

"_But what about the snakes?"_

"_They're mine."_

"_Yeah, but—"_

"_They won't go far. I'll catch 'em again later."_

_Roy said, "That's not what I meant."_

_The boy laughed. "Don't worry, I'll take you out the back way. Just do as I say and you won't get bit."_

"_What a guy," muttered Roy._

_The boy untied him from the Brazilian pepper and boosted him to his feet. "I gotta admit, you did pretty good," the boy said. "Most kids woulda peed their pants."_

"_Are those cottonmouths?" Roy asked._

"_Yep." The boy sounded pleased that Roy knew what kind of snakes they were._ ²

Roy felt the same egotistical boost he felt when Mullet Fingers affirmed his guess. He'd never felt so proud over such a small thing as confirmation.

Roy wondered if things would have changed if he had turned to look at the person owning that deep, yet pubescent voice those years back.

It was no use wondering, he knew. What happened had happened. His mind continued on with that day.

_Soon they stopped marching, and the kid began to loosen the knots on Roy's wrists. "Don't turn around," he said._

"_What's your name?" Roy asked._

"_I don't have a name no more."_

"_Sure you do. Everybody's got a name."_

_The kid grunted. "I been called Mullet Fingers. And I been called worse."_

"_You don't really live out here, do you?"_

"_None a your business. What'f I do?"_

"_All by yourself? What about your family?" Roy asked._

_The boy rapped him lightly on the back of the head._

"_You ask too many nosy questions."_

"_Sorry." Roy noticed his hands were free, but he continued to hold them behind his back._

"_Don't turn around until you count to fifty," The kid instructed him. "Otherwise, you're gonna wake up one morning with one of those big ole cottonmouths in your bed. Got it?"_

_Roy nodded._

"_Good. Now start countin'."_ ³

Roy never remembered such a long, torturous wait he'd ever been put through, compared to that fifty-numbered countdown.

His mind didn't take him to another full memory, but he suddenly got the image of Mullet slyly winking up at him during the Mother Paula's Rebellion. Roy blushed at how scandalous that was. Mullet, _winking slyly_ at _him?_ Hah! He had better chances of kissing an alligator senseless than that!

"You'd want to pucker up to such a wrinkly thing?" Mullet asked with amusement in his voice. He was leaning against Roy's open window frame, and his blue eyes were twinkling mischievously. Roy felt himself redden.

"Erm… I usually don't talk to myself… and I was being sarcastic!" He said defensively, walking over to the window.

"Whatever, man. I won't torment you about whatever kinky thoughts you have," He grinned brightly when Roy growled and flushed further. Roy offered his hand to Mullet, to give him a lift up. Instead, Mullet tugged Roy's hand to him. Roy raised an eyebrow, but acquiesced, jumping down onto the ground outside his bedroom.

"Where're we going?" He asked curiously, and followed Mullet as he began leading Roy in the direction of the wilderness.

"My place," Mullet gave Roy that same sly wink, and Roy nearly tripped over an uprooted tree. Mullet laughed, and Roy shoved him in the side, hiding his embarrassment.

"Nice." Roy whispered, taking in the old shoe factory. Vines and other plants were crawling up the crumbling outer walls of the building, and the building itself was quite large for it to be forgotten.

Mullet ushered Roy inside through an opening in the one wall, and Roy looked around with surprise.

"It's definitely bigger than the last one I saw," He said offhand, trailing off as he walked around the premises. Mullet plopped down in one corner, watching Roy explore with smugness.

"I got lucky when I found this place."

"_I'll_ say," Roy said, fingering some old, rusted machinery in the far right corner. It looked pretty abandoned and put out of use: the model looked like it belonged in the nineteen hundreds era.

"So did you think I would break my promise to you?" Mullet asked a bit too casually, trying to look disinterested and failing as he fiddled with a frayed edge of the sleeping blanket he owned. Roy frowned a bit, turning to the blond. He folded his arms, subconsciously hugging himself.

"I actually wasn't really too sure," He started carefully, and continued. "But I didn't think that you would actually leave me again, like before. I just didn't really think that you'd be at my window by the time it was next Monday was all."

"You know," Mullet said, standing and pacing over to Roy, who instantly became a bit more defensive.

"I told you this before, but I never ignored you on purpose. I actually think you're pretty cool." Roy beamed.

"For a cowgirl," Mullet quickly added, looking off to the side in faint awkwardness. Roy rolled his eyes, still smiling warmly.

"Thanks. You're not too bad yourself. For a nature-boy," He teased, and went back to prodding at the broken shoe-making equipment.

Mullet gazed at Roy's turned back for a few seconds, before coming up next to Roy to see what was so fascinating about such a messy pile of junk. When Mullet voiced his question, Roy shrugged.

"I'm just curious about why the people decided to leave this place. I mean, from what I can tell, this stuff was probably in running condition way back when," Mullet smirked.

"You're strange, cowgirl."

"As strange as they come." He quipped, and smirked back at Mullet, eyes half-lidded.

Mullet couldn't help staring for a moment or two at Roy's upturned lips: they were so full and inviting, and they looked very soft. Mullet was almost tempted to test them out to see if they were as feathery as they looked…

But he quickly snapped himself out of it, and Roy surveyed him with furrowed eyebrows.

"Something wrong, Mullet?" He asked worriedly, unfolding his arms and letting them fall to his sides as he moved closer to Mullet. He looked into glistening crystal-blue eyes, and was suddenly entranced, like a mosquito was to those bug-zapping lamps.

Neither boy knew who moved closer, but within a second, they were nose-to-nose, both looking at each other with dazed expressions.

Their enchantment was broken almost immediately; a small anole that had been hanging onto the ceiling above the boys' heads suddenly plummeted down: straight onto Mullet's golden mop of hair. Roy was startled, but Mullet only raised one eyebrow in amusement, and reached up with a steady hand and snatched the little brown-green lizard out of his locks. The creature looked up at Mullet with widened eyes, and its neck was expanding and contracting with each breath the animal took. Mullet laughed quietly, and carefully put down the anole and watched it quickly make its way through a crack in the wall. Roy was smiling, but looking at Mullet the entire time.

"What?" Mullet asked, uncomfortably aware of the attention he was getting.

"Nothing, it's just… amazing how calm you are with animals. Even when they would have scared the living heck out of other people."

Mullet rolled his eyes upward, and chuckled.

"Did I tell you how weird you were, cowgirl?"

"Probably, but thanks for the reminder." He responded cheekily.

Roy, for some reason or another, felt incredibly reckless, and he subtly flirted with Mullet, and whether the other boy took a notice to it or not, Roy couldn't tell.

It was nearly three in the afternoon by the time Mullet escorted Roy back to his home, and Roy felt disappointed that Mullet was going to be leaving so soon.

As if sensing his dismal attitude, Mullet shoved Roy gently, grinning.

"You up for another lounge by the _Molly Bell_?"

"Even though it's barely big enough now to support one of us?" Roy quipped, smiling widely. Mullet chuckled.

"If you don't want to…" He began, pausing for Roy to make some protest.

"No, no, no! I didn't mean that I didn't want to hang out with you!" Roy amended, blushing with humiliation. Mullet sniggered.

"Well then. Be out and ready with your swimming trunks tomorrow at seven. It's always nicer out in the water during the morning hours."

Roy grinned with relief, and nodded eagerly.

"See ya then, cowgirl," Mullet said fondly, winking noticeably once more before jogging back into the forest.

Roy couldn't remember the last time he'd felt so elated within the past years.

He couldn't wait for the swimming trip tomorrow, and even though it was hours away, he got his stuff together for it.

* * *

References:

¹: page 51

²: pages 54-55

³: pages 56-57

* * *

I know people wanted it longer, but I'm keeping it at about seven to eight pages per chapter, sorry. Hah. I hope it's still good! I kind of rushed with this one, and I added a bit of fluff into this one, but I'm holding off on anything big until the next one or two chapters ahead.

The story's coming to a close, and it'll definitely end happily. I'm sorry again that I'm refusing to make it longer than planned, but that's just how I'm planning it out.

Hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I'll be updating soon!

* * *

_Sincerely,_

**Inkyish.**


	4. Things Turn Sour

**- - Making Amends - -**

* * *

_Chapter Four,_ Things Turn Sour

* * *

Last Chapter:

"_Well then. Be out and ready with your swimming trunks tomorrow at seven. It's always nicer out in the water during the morning hours."_

_Roy grinned with relief, and nodded eagerly._

"_See ya then, cowgirl," Mullet said fondly, winking noticeably once more before jogging back into the forest._

_Roy couldn't remember the last time he'd felt so elated within the past years._

* * *

It was unusually crisp and cool out for a morning in Coconut Cove, but Roy paid it no heed: he was going to be hanging out with Mullet Fingers-when he had just seen him _yesterday_! 

He knew he was acting a little overly exuberant for the turn of events, but Roy couldn't help himself: after not seeing a crush of yours for years upon end, you tend to get a little over-excited when you see more and more of them in one week than you did in the past year.

Though it was six in the morning and there was still a good hour to go before his outing, Roy zipped through a shower, dressed for the occasion (he made sure to apply some sunscreen-he paid for it the times he'd been out for long amounts of time in the Floridian sun without proper skin protection), and was at the dining room table at quarter to seven, eating his stack of steamy, buttery flapjacks with a renewed vigor.

His mother was watching him at the kitchen island, since she was cleaning up a spill she made while preparing the meat for dinner later on that night. She smiled warmly at her only son, and put her hands on her hip.

"Roy Eberhardt, just what has gotten into you lately?"

Roy grinned up at his mother, after chugging down some orange juice-he didn't even complain about the fact that his mother had gotten the pulp brand-and wiping his mouth on his arm.

"Nothin', mom. Just… things have lightened up for the better, you could say."

Mrs. Eberhardt knew that she wouldn't get any more out of her son, so she merely smiled in adoration and love at Roy before turning to go to the living room.

Roy checked the old grandfather clock in the parlor, and it was nearing seven o'clock. In a hurry, he cleaned up his mess, washed up a bit, and grabbed his slip-on shoes, waving to his mother who was vacuuming as he rushed on by.

He hopped from foot to foot on the deck (he was putting on his shoes! Almost everyone should know how hard of a task that is to do when you're standing), and when he successfully slipped on his shoes-he'd gotten the first try wrong when he slipped on his left shoe on his right foot-he turned to hop down the stairs. He nearly slipped on an invisible banana peel when he was face to face with a smirking Mullet Fingers, and once he regained himself, he felt a blush stain his cheeks.

"Hey."

Mullet laughed, and, lacking something to say, he ushered Roy to him and they walked, side-by-side to where the skeletal, pitiful remains of the _Molly Bell_ were.

Mullet roamed his eyes over the pathetic excuse of a vessel that was in front of him, and shrugged. The deck looked stable enough for them to sit on, and they were mostly swimming anyway.

Since Mullet had no sneakers upon his feet, he cantered over to the body of water, and when his big toes were barely touching the water, he did an impressive dive into the clear water. When he emerged, his dripping blonde head clearly visible, he chuckled and called out for Roy. Roy grinned, and tugged off his shoes, stowing them at the base of a tree. He slipped off the simple white t-shirt he was wearing, and then walked, slower than Mullet had, to the edge of the water.

Mullet was waiting impatiently for Roy to get in the water already, and so he used his one hand to send a load of water at the brunette. He laughed at Roy's shell-shocked expression, so he didn't notice when Roy quietly slipped in, went under the water, and came right behind him. Quietly, Roy prepared himself. Then, in a second's notice, Roy dunked Mullet down into the water. Mullet quickly regained control, and he came up from the water, gulping in air. Roy smirked, and before he could make a biting comment, Mullet turned around and returned the favor, dunking the boy down into the water.

* * *

They had a fun-filled hour and a half doing nothing but playing in the water. Now, it almost being nine o'clock, they were carefully splayed out on the _Molly_ _Bell_, stomach-down. They breathed in the odd, yet not altogether unpleasant smell of the weathered, pale wood that made up the deck of the boat. 

"That was pretty fun." Was all Roy muttered, he tiredly grinned at Mullet. The blond chuckled.

"Glad I could be of assistance."

They lay like reptiles, soaking up the deliciously warm rays of sun, and just basking in the feeling of post-swimming bliss.

"Canya catch a mullet yet?" Mullet suddenly piped up, using his fists as something for his chin to lean on. Roy turned his head to the side to look at Mullet, and grinned. He was tempted to say that he did, and that he found a Mullet behind a bush, but he stopped himself.

"After years? Of course!"

"Show me." Mullet said, pointing to a silvery, jittery mass in the water that was slowly approaching them. He looked down, and scooted up to be able to lean down close to the water without falling in. He cupped his hands in front of him, preparing to strike. His muscles tensed slightly, like a feline predator just about to spring onto its prey.

The mullets were in the right position, and Roy lunged without hesitation. He grasped-easily-one of the slippery creatures, and held onto it firmly, but gently still. He carefully maneuvered himself back onto the _Molly Bell_, grinning in triumph at a smiling Mullet.

"Lemme see," Mullet said, even though he knew Roy had caught one.

Roy opened his hands up without question, and smiled proudly. Mullet laughed.

"What?" Roy asked, miffed, and looked down. In his hands was a…

…Piece of kelp.

"Ugh!" Roy grunted in slight annoyance, and flung the gooey, green plant back into the water. Mullet was trying not to laugh too much to make Roy feel bad, and Roy could see the strain it took for the poor nature-boy to hold back his mirth.

"Oh go ahead and laugh, you nitwit." Roy grinned, still feeling slightly embarrassed. Mullet responded by giggling harder.

Once the laughs of Mullet Fingers died down into a few hiccup-laughs, Roy said, leaning back onto the _Molly Bell_,

"I _can_ catch them, though."

"Oh, I know. I've seen you do it times before." Mullet said easily, and then caught himself, snapping his mouth tightly shut. Roy looked over to the boy in surprise.

"You have? When? I only learned how to like, maybe a year ago!"

"I… Uh…" Mullet opened and closed his mouth, at a loss for words. Roy narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

"Mullet… just how long have you been stalking me without letting me know you were there?"

"_Stalking_?" Mullet sputtered, eyes wider than ever. His cheeks had a light pink tinge to them.

"Well? How long?" Roy prodded, frowning.

"It's just been plain coincidence! I saw you a few times here when I was… doing stuff." He said, looking off to the side. Roy harrumphed with offense.

"When was the first time you saw me then?" He demanded.

"Maybe like, about a year ago!" He said unconvincingly, and Roy hissed out,

"You've been here this _whole time_? Without telling me you were here?"

"…Yes?"

"_Napoleon Bridger Leep_, I can't _believe_ you!" He lashed out righteously, his eyes glinting in anger and hurt.

"Hey, what's the big deal? It's not like you _had to know_—"

"No, I didn't have to know, you're right." Roy said in a clipped, icy tone. "But it would've been _nice _to know that the one person I've been missing ever since they left was right under my nose half the time. It would've been _good_ to know that my_ friend_ wasn't as gone as I thought!"

Mullet felt guilt overcome him.

"Roy, wait—"

"No. I think I did enough waiting, these past few years. To think, I actually _cared_ about you, when you didn't give a damn enough to tell me you were _okay_!"

He carefully but hastily got himself off of the old yet reliable boat, and walked defiantly in the direction of his home, pausing only for a moment to get his shoes back onto his feet. Mullet wasn't too far behind.

"Roy, please! Wouldya wait?"

"Roy!"

"C'mon, Roy! I didn't mean any harm!"

All of his pleas fell onto deaf ears.

When he reached out a hand to touch Roy's rigid shoulder, Roy angrily brushed him off. He stopped and turned around, a mask of coldness upon his face.

"Mullet, don't. Not now."

He turned, and continued to power-walk his way back home. Mullet stood, stunned and rooted into his spot. If guilt had gotten to him minutes ago, then it was already licking the meat off of his bones that remained.

Where the hell was Beatrice when he needed her?

* * *

Aww, poor Roy! And stupid, stupid Mullet! whacks with man-eating, mutated, foot-long mullets Will Roy ever find it deep inside himself to forgive little ole Mullet Fingers? You know he eventually will. :D 

I kind of slid my way through this, and once I got past the obstacle of how I should cause one commotion in this chapter (my alternative idea was to have Roy dramatically fall through the weakened deck of the _Molly Bell_ and have Mullet dive down heroically to save him-this would have made the story a lot shorter, so I decided against it. plus, this whole conflict-thing is WAY more interesting to write!), I kind of just let everything else fall into place.

It's currently nearing four in the morning, and I'm only just starting to feel a bit tired. I may start working on the next installment of this, but I make no promises. Hah.

Well, you know what I ask for: review this, and in turn, I'll consider updating a hell of a lot quicker!

Thanks, and I hoped you liked this! I also hope I didn't take the conflict too far in this chappie. Forgive me if I did! I blame the F.G.A.O. (Fan Girl Addiction Overload)!

* * *

_Sincerely,_

**Inkyish.**


	5. Patching Things Up

**- - Making Amends - -**

* * *

_Chapter Five,_ Patching Things Up

* * *

Last Chapter:

_When he reached out a hand to touch Roy's rigid shoulder, Roy angrily brushed him off. He stopped, and turned around, a mask of coldness upon his face._

_"Mullet, don't. Not now."_

_He turned, and continued to power-walk his way back home. Mullet stood, stunned and rooted into his spot. If guilt had gotten to him minutes ago, then it was already licking the meat off of his bones that remained._

* * *

Roy never heard footfalls follow him after he told Mullet to bug off, so he felt a saddened kind of relief overtake him. One part of him was glad, huffing a 'Good riddance!', while, on another side, he was yelling out for Mullet Fingers to follow him, and correct his mistake, to apologize to Roy right then. Still, he bravely walked on. 

After a while, he slowed his pace down a bit, and let the feelings of hurt, shame, and anger flood over him.

He took each wave as they came, and by the time he was at his front door, he had a few tears trickling down his face. He didn't whimper; he was deathly silent as he walked into the house, and made a beeline for his room, even though his stomach growled in outright disagreement. Food was the last thing on Roy's mind at the moment.

Roy was so drudged in his melancholy that he didn't see his mother as he trudged by. Mrs. Eberhardt, however, immediately felt her son's discomfit. Call it a motherly intuition, but she knew that her son needed some consoling, as well as someone to talk to.

She quietly entered her son's room: the door had been ajar since Roy knew his parents didn't like and locked doors in the house. Her heart nearly split cleanly in half at the sight her son made. He was facedown on his bed, his sob-wracked body twitching like someone with a mild seizure. She could see his fingers digging into his mattress, the skin turned paper-white. If she listened closely, she could hear the faint sounds of Roy's cries.

Of course _she_ of all people knew Roy-she was his mother, for heaven's sake! Roy hardly ever gave in and cried; he was too proud to do so. It took a bulldozer of a problem to get his waterworks running.

Slowly, so she wouldn't startle him, she crept into the room. She sat down on the side of the bed, still going by unnoticed, and put a hesitant hand on Roy's back. She felt it tense up, so she rubbed soothing circles along his spine. He gave a shaky sigh, and turned his head to the side to gulp air into his deprived lungs.

"Roy, sweetheart, what's happened to you? You were all sunshine earlier, and now you're dimmer than a broken light bulb." She asked quietly, edging closer to her son.

"Mom…" Roy sighed; he sighed a troubled, weary sigh. Mrs. Eberhardt sensed a long story coming, so she made herself comfortable and attentively listened to her boy's every word.

"And then I came back here," Roy finished with a sigh. He was trying to control his breathing and stop crying simultaneously, but he decided to first quit bawling.

His mother was quiet for a moment, and then spoke up.

"So this boy… Mullet Fingers… you… _like_ him?"

"Yes, ma… I like him like that."

"Oh-well… this is unexpected." She said in a forced calm, and continued to rub Roy's back.

"You're not… well, you're not offended or anything?"

"No, dear! I wouldn't ever care about what made you special; I always love you, and a change in your preferences makes no difference to your mother. I'm just a bit… surprised is all," She said supportively, smiling at him when he looked up at her. He grinned dimly as a thank-you, and flopped his head back down onto the pillow, giving another sigh. His breath was becoming more and more regulated, and he was starting to feel the feeling of hunger creep back up on him.

"If this Mullet Fingers is all that you sum him up to be, you should expect him 'round here soon enough." His mother said firmly, and Roy nodded.

"'Course, mom. I know that. I just know I'm not going to forgive him on the spot. That's what makes the whole situation tricky. He's stubborn, but he's also warmhearted. It makes you guess about his intentions." Roy gave a mirthless laugh.

"Well," His mother began, patting him on the back. "If you need anything-such as lunch-I'll be in the kitchen." She smiled kindly at her only offspring, and got up, stretching her cramped muscles before walking out of the room. He took a few minutes more, but he eventually came out, the idea of food giving his stomach more bright ideas to start fussing.

* * *

Mullet growled at himself in annoyance. Look at what he did! He was never the sentimental-type, or some Mr. Suave, but even he knew, deep down, that he liked Roy. He wasn't too sure, but he was sure Roy liked him too… well, before this mess happened. He huffed as he dropped himself down onto the grassy ground. 

He slapped his forehead with his hand repeatedly, as punishment, he decided, and the abuse he poured out on himself seemed to be helping: the cogs in his brain were creaky, but slowly began to turn. It had been a while since he did some mischief, after all. But there wasn't any mischief planned in the near future, no. He had a gigantic I'm-sorry-plea to work on.

* * *

Saturday afternoon was desolate: outside, an unexpected thunderstorm was raging. Some palm fronds that were torn off of their trees were dancing and spinning around in the stormy gales. A bolt of lightning struck through the sky, and lit up the entirety of Roy's bedroom. 

His parents had gone out to a friend's clam bake, saying that they wouldn't be returning until later on into the night, and the power had went out no more than ten minutes ago. Roy hadn't been scared or anything; he simply scattered a few lit candles around the house, and kept a battery-operated flashlight next to his side as he lay in bed.

Roy had seen not a hair of a specific Mullet in the past two days, and it was beginning to nag at him. Did he overreact… most likely, yeah. But still, Mullet Fingers was wrong to do that to him!

Then again, Roy might have been a bit too passionate about the whole ordeal, because of his little love for the blond.

He sighed listlessly, and stood, walking over to his window. Another spectacular streak of lightning lit up his features, and it also lit up something else…

Some creature was making its way into his yard, seeming to drag itself over to his bedroom window! Roy's eyes widened comically, and he tried to get a better look at the animal, but then, the lightning outdid its welcome and faded back into the darkness of the now-eerie storm.

Roy stepped back from the window, and nearly screamed himself silly when the lightning struck again: the thing was right in front of his window, and instead of seeing some kind of yeti-creature, there was Mullet Fingers, drenched and giving a shaky smile.

Despite his grudge toward the other boy, Roy couldn't let Mullet stay out there; it was dangerous! He'd catch a cold, heck; he could be struck by lightning!

So Roy quickly ran back to the window, and unlocked and pushed it open. Mullet clumsily climbed in through the opened window, and landed in a soaked heap on the carpeted floor. Mullet let out a groan of slight pain, but lifted his head up towards Roy. He peeked out through his dark, mangled tresses.

* * *

Mullet Fingers had thought up the ingenious plan of coming to Roy when it was raining; it worked up the fact that he was extremely sorry and it would hopefully make Roy pity him all the more. Of course, it would also show how important Roy's friendship meant to Mullet Fingers, since he risked his own health for Roy. 

The thing was that he didn't plan for the storm to be so out of hand. He wasn't the weather dictator-god-person, after all. He still managed to get to Roy's, no matter how wet he was. He'd been slapped in the face by blowing debris: paper, leaves, and he'd barely sidestepped a falling coconut!

But all that mattered was that he was here now, lying in a mess at Roy's sock-clad feet, and now was the time to right everything again.

"Damnit, Mullet Fingers! What in the hell were you thinking… going out in the middle of a hard storm, you blunt-headed baboon!" Roy chastised, and ran out of the room only to return a split second later with a few dry, fluffy bathroom towels in hand. He leaned down next to Mullet and flung one of the dark blue towels over the heap of boy, and wrapped another around Mullet Finger's slightly shivering form. Mullet grunted in thanks, and sat up, using one of the towels to scrub his hair dry. Roy patted Mullet's frame down with a third towel, trying to remove most of the cold wetness from the clothes.

"You're going to have to change." Roy said with finality. He hoisted himself and Mullet up, and went to his drawers, pulling out a clean set of clothes. He pointed to the small bathroom adjacent to his bedroom, and when Mullet Fingers went to open his mouth in obvious protest, Roy firmly shook his head, his mouth set in a scowl. Mullet sighed, and quickly decided that the first step to getting Roy's forgiveness was to listen to him.

A few minutes later-Roy closed and relocked the window shut in this time, Mullet trudged out of the bathroom, garbed in the dry shirt-the royal purple one with the word Montana inscribed in white, with a set of mountains ironed on-and the long, black-and-white plaid pajama pants Roy gave him. Roy looked to him from his bed when the door creaked open, and ushered him into the spot next to him on his bed.

"So, what do you want?" Roy asked blandly, crossing his arms over his chest. Mullet huffed, uncomfortable.

"What do you think? I came to apologize to you, for bein' so… so…" Mullet racked his mind for the words.

"…heartless?" Roy offered quietly, trying to glare in hatred but failing. Mullet Fingers glanced up, a frown twisted his handsome features.

"Yeah, I guess. I never meant to make you upset with me or anything, it's just—"

Roy interrupted him, and looked the other way.

"It's not your fault. Well, some of it definitely is, but I definitely made a big deal over the whole thing. You're my friend, and I guess I should just trust whatever you were doing. It wasn't really hurting me anyway."

_Lies, _his mind screamed at him. _Do you remember all of the pain and torment you went through these past few days?_

Roy ignored the taunting, deep voice.

"And your business is your business, I shouldn't stick my nose into it so much." He added, rambling on to cover for his hurt.

Mullet gripped his upper arm and Roy's voice faded.

"No, don't you see? I was a right damned buffoon! I know that you're my friend, and as a friend, I shouldn't have abandoned you without saying a word of anything beforehand; I definitely shouldn't have been watching you in secret, but you have to understand, I didn't want you getting hurt."

"You're too late then," Roy blurted out, and then his eyes widened. He snapped his mouth shut, and shook his head.

"…Roy?"

"I'm—I mean, nothing. It's nothing." Roy stuttered out, outright avoiding meeting Mullet's eyes, in fear of what he would see.

"It's not nothin', Roy, I know you're lyin' to me. But you gotta tell me what this something is." He said quietly, and held onto Roy's hand with his free one.

"I want to fix it."

* * *

Dun, dun dun! Cliffhanger ending right there, I know. I'm sorry…. Lol, no I'm not. :D Why else would I write it? 

I know, I think I got a bit over-the-top with the amount of angst in this chapter, but I couldn't help myself. I like souping my stories up with such drama. I think I butchered up Mullet Finger's speech a bit at the end, though. Forgive me!

Anywho, this is quickly drawing to a close, as you can tell. The next chapter will start up where this one left off, and the next chapter will most likely be the end of the story. Maybe I'll throw in another chapter, just for an epilogue's sake. I don't have anything permanently planned out yet, though.

Thanks a million to everyone for reading this story, and I hope you like my ending!

* * *

_Sincerely,_

**Inkyish.**


	6. Finally He'll See

**- - Making Amends - -**

* * *

_Chapter Six,_ Finally He'll See

* * *

Last Chapter:

"…_I didn't want you getting hurt."_

"_You're too late then," Roy blurted out, and then his eyes widened. He snapped his mouth shut, and shook his head._

"…_Roy?"_

_"I'm—I mean, nothing. It's nothing." Roy stuttered out, outright avoiding meeting Mullet's eyes, in fear of what he would see._

_"It's not nothin', Roy, but you gotta tell me what this something is." He said quietly, and held onto Roy's hand with his free one._

* * *

Roy looked down at their entwined hands with shock slapped onto his face. Mullet looked down, oblivious, and then, when he noticed what Roy was staring at, quickly removed his hands from the other boy. 

Roy's face crumpled into a solemn frown, and he got up from the bed. Mullet Fingers watched him as he paced.

"You can't fix it."

"How do you know that?" Mullet asked with surprise. "You didn't even tell me what the problem is. How can you be so sure that I can't fix it if I don't know what needs to be fixed, Roy?"

Roy's face turned sour, and his expression was bitter.

"It doesn't matter, because your actions speak more than you can with your mouth, Mullet."

Mullet Fingers got up from the bed, and grasped Roy's shoulders with his hands, and spun him around to look at him.

"Look, Roy, I really want to be your friend again, even though it doesn't seem like it at all. I already told you that I was sorry for leavin' you for so long, and that I was right there with you even when you didn't know it! This… thing… that needs to be fixed, it's the only thing keeping us from being friends like we were!"

"We'll never have anything close to what our friendship was back then." Roy said sadly, and turned his head to the side, away from Mullet's prying blue eyes.

"Of course not, not for a while. I'll need to regain your trust I lost, of course. It's something I'm worth waiting for." Mullet said confidently, and shook Roy gently as he said it.

"My trust isn't the only thing that's broken," Roy sighed, and Mullet looked baffled.

"…Huh?" He said intelligently, blinking owlishly.

"Mullet… it's what I'm not telling you that makes all the difference in our friendship you're trying to build back up," He continued. Mullet's jaw snapped together as his jaw muscles clenched.

"You… So you don't… want to be friends with me anymore, is that it?" He asked hoarsely.

"No, I don't. I don't want to just be your friend, Mullet, even your _best_ friend." Roy whispered, and Mullet's eyes hardened to two orbs of pale blue ice. "But—"

"Save it, Roy. If you didn't want to be my friend in the first place, then why'd you even bother, huh? Was it… revenge, or somethin'? Because you got me pretty good, I'll give you that," He growled out. Roy's mouth formed an 'o', and before Roy could argue back to Mullet that what he suspected was completely the opposite of reality, Mullet had quickly unlocked and opened up the window, hopped out into the still-pouring rain, and ran. Ran faster than he did when Roy first spotted the strange person he knew then as the Running Boy.

"Mullet!" Roy shouted out into the rainy Coconut Cove, to no avail. His knees buckled, and his chin landed hard upon the metal frame of his window as he stared out into the grey world that matched his mood, and cried.

* * *

Wow, he could honestly say he didn't see that coming. Maybe Roy had become stealthier over the time they'd been apart… 

Still, Roy's idea of revenge worked wonders: Mullet Fingers couldn't ever remember feeling so glum in his life, except the few occasions when Beatrice came to him looking horridly mangled. He hadn't felt so horrible when he realized that he had to run away from home!

But why did it matter to him so much? Why was there a stab at his heart, not just his ego, when he replayed the scene over in his mind? Mullet guessed that that was how Roy must've felt when Mullet Fingers left him those years back… unless that whole thing was an act, too.

He pounded two cold, cramping fists into the floor of the dingy shoe factory, and didn't let out a hiss of pain from the blood that spewed forth from small cuts in his knuckles. He stare grimly into the distance as more thunder echoed around him.

Why did he feel this way? He remembered whenever Beatrice had boyfriends, and how she would cry like nothing ever before whenever it became rocky, and when those relationships ended. It was a surprise to Mullet, at first; at how easily Beatrice could put on a stony poker face when dealing with almost anything most would crumble over in pressure from, but how easily she could break whenever her heart was on the line. She would stay with Mullet late into the night, holding onto his usually dirty shirt and crying like there was no tomorrow.

Could it be relatively the same for Mullet, only the fact that it was where friends were involved? He felt like shedding a few tears himself, and that was completely new to Mullet; he'd only cried when his pet fish died after his mother neglected the poor thing while he was at a summer camp to 'reform' himself. That was when he was five. He'd left his home for good when he was seven.

Whenever he thought of Roy, Roy Eberhardt, with his cowgirl-love for the state of Montana, his no-sass attitude whenever he talked to people, and his smile that would make his whole face glow… He remembered how much he missed the boy's worrying actions, his friendship...

…Mullet couldn't remember ever feeling so confused. He couldn't recall Beatrice ever describing Roy in such a way, and Roy was as much his best friend as Roy was Beatrice's. _Where in burning hell's name was Beatrice when you needed her!_

* * *

Roy's mother found him in the same position as he was hours ago: he stopped crying hours ago, and he stared blankly out into the wet Florida land. The rain had stopped falling not too long ago, and it was nightfall. Everything was soggy, and the land looked misty. 

She came up to him, and patted his shoulder. He looked up at her with vacant eyes, and got up, sitting on his bed. Mrs. Eberhardt shut the window, and came over to Roy, hugging him gently.

"I think I blew it mom." Roy mumbled into her blouse, and his tears slowly flowed once more.

His mother could only comfort him with her presence as he held onto her and eventually slipped into a crying-induced sleep. She knew her son was practically an adult now, but he would always be her baby, she thought wistfully as she patted his auburn hair.

* * *

Roy awoke the next day, feeling clammy, cramped up, and tuckered out. He was tucked into his bed, courtesy of his mom no doubt, and it was probably noon. The Florida sun didn't show any memory of the rain shower last night, and he could faintly hear some birds chirping outside. 

He stretched slowly, and felt completely filthy. He opted to take a long shower, and he didn't expect to see Mullet's clothes, still damp, on the tiled floor. His throat shrunk and his heart thumped, but he kept his eyes dry and his expression blank. He bent over and picked up the maroon jersey and the khaki shorts, and held them in his hands. The clothing material was worn out from so much use, and there were dirt and grass stains all over them. He put them to the side, deciding that he would clean them along with his wash after he came out of the shower.

He stripped out of his clothes from yesterday while the water for the shower warmed up, and quickly hopped in when the temperature was just right. He sighed out loud, and closed his eyes; he let the steamy, warm water run along his skin, washing away the pain and sadness, if only for the time being.

He thought of Mullet, even though he tried not to, and sighed. He shouldn't have said that! It obviously made him look like he hated Mullet. Which, of course, was not true at all. If he'd just outright said "_I love you"_, it would have made things so much different. Like, for instance, Mullet would be away from him for good, but for a better reason than a misunderstanding. The most extreme thought was that they would wake up in Roy's bed together-clothes on, of course! - and they would be together, just like Roy imagined it.

His mind was swamped with _what if_'s, and _maybe_'s, and that bugged the heck out of Roy. He didn't like doubting anything, really, and he didn't like not knowing some things. _What if he told Mullet his secret? What if Mullet liked him back? Maybe Mullet did… Maybe Roy was insane!_ Stupid, stupid questions ran through his mind, as if on a looped reel.

He had no other choice: he would have to go to the abandoned shoe factory as soon as he was dressed, the dirty laundry be damned!

* * *

Roy, as expected, felt incredibly nervous, and very scared. The cursed questions still were glued to his thoughts: _What if this is just a stupid idea to break my heart even more? What if Mullet left for a new hideout, far away from me? What if…_ His mind stopped along with his feet, when he saw a familiar blonde head from the leafy tree he stood behind. 

He quietly looked around the trunk of the tree, and peeked at Mullet.

Mullet had swapped the long lounge pants Roy lent him for a pair of loose-fitting black shorts and changed out of the Montana shirt and replaced it with a green jersey similar to the red one Roy had now.

He was busy packing up his things: the mismatched, few clothes he owned were messily shoved into a drawstring bag; the sleeping bag was rolled back up and tied together with frayed twine; the small kit of necessities he owned were stuffed somewhere within the folds of the sleeping bag. He was just tying together his two old sneakers by the laces, to drape over his shoulders, when he heard something behind him. He paid it no mind, and looked into the shoe factory, which was soon to be empty like it had been before.

Mullet didn't expect to feel a smaller pair of hands grip his biceps, and he definitely didn't anticipate seeing the very brunet he was avoiding, the very reason he was leaving his home he knew since he was young. Roy frowned as he looked to Mullet, and Mullet Fingers was prepared to snarl something out at Roy, like 'go away', or 'get lost', but what he wasn't prepared for was the small, soft lips of Roy's to magnetically meet his, just like that. He had his eyes opened wide with shock, and the surprise quickly ebbed away when he saw Roy's eyes slipped closed, and Mullet mimicked him, pulling the smaller boy closer to him, wrapping his arms around Roy.

When the kiss eventually ceased, Roy breathlessly looked up at Mullet Fingers, rejection clear in those hazel eyes.

"I don't even want to be your best friend, because that's not enough for me, Mullet." He uttered softly, his eyes slid nearly shut, his brow furrowing.

"I'm definitely sorry for making you misunderstand me last night," He sighed, "And I just wanted to come here to make sure you were on the same page as me before you left for good."

He looked up into blue, and frowned, fighting the urge to cry.

"I love you, Napoleon Bridger Leep." He whispered.

With that, he unwrapped Mullet's hands from his waist, although he wanted them to stay there, and turned to leave. He took a few steps away when a hand firmly grasped his.

"I don't know how love feels," Mullet started, and Roy looked back at him, questions he had visible from his expression.

"But I know I like you, Roy." He said quietly, and Roy turned around completely to stare at Mullet. "I like you a lot."

Roy only stared blankly at Mullet Fingers. The other boy grew slightly uncomfortable, and laughed nervously.

"If B were here, I'd probably know better." He joked, scratching the back of his head. Roy tilted his head to the side, and didn't say anything.

"So…" Mullet trailed off uncertainly, the silence growing awkward for him. Suddenly, he had an armful of Roy, and as Roy attacked him with his lips, Mullet slipped his arms around Roy's waist and pulled him flush against himself.

* * *

A little while later, Mullet was laying down, his head in Roy's lap as his eyes remained closed. He sighed out, and Roy looked up, playing with a golden lock of hair. 

"What?"

"What does love feel like?" He asked randomly, not opening his eyes. Roy bit his lip for a moment, and replied,

"It feels like… well, there's no way to fully describe it, but it feels like you can never stop thinking about someone, and you can't imagine your life without the other. You feel free and happy when you're with them, and you wouldn't trade the feelings you get when you're with them for anything in the world."

"Really?" He asked, opening his eyes slowly. Roy looked down at him, with a soft smile on his face, and nodded.

"It's not exactly correct, but it's as close as I can get."

"Roy," He whispered, "I'm sorry. Three years… or… wait, did you like me back then?" He asked, looking confused.

Roy blushed but nodded slightly.

"I only figured that I loved you when some girl tried to kiss me in my freshman year." He shuddered at the memory.

"Some girl?" Mullet asked, suddenly interested.

"Just some random girl, she was probably a bit younger than me." Roy nodded, and Mullet frowned.

"How'd you figure it out _then_?"

"When she was just about to plant one on me, I panicked. I thought of you, and… well, I just came to it then."

"She didn't try to mess with you after?" Mullet asked.

"Nope. I told her to bug off." Roy grinned, and Mullet chuckled.

"Good."

With that, he lifted his head up and kissed Roy once more.

* * *

Wow, finally Mullet-thickhead-Fingers realizes something's different about how he feels about Roy. Took him long enough. 

I had this all written up after I posted the last chapter, but I wanted to wait a bit before posting this one, since I didn't want the story to end sooner. :D Lol.

Next chapter's the epilogue… a.k.a. the end! I'm definitely going to miss writing this story. It was fun trying my hand at something new for once, and it was great to do on the side, while I tried to come up with things for my Harry Potter fan fiction. _Grins_ I like how this story came out for the most part, except in the beginning, I would have talked about what Mullet was up to more.

Oh, and _maybe_ in the epilogue you'll find out what exactly Mullet was doing behind that bush! _Cackles evilly_

Here's a new thing: a poll! I'm not exactly sure what Mullet _was_ doing myself, but here are a few options. Tell me which you prefer for the end result! I'll use whatever the majority of reviewers chose if I decide to include that in the epilogue.

He was digging for worms while he watched Roy from the corner of his eyes!

He was having some "Mullet Fingers Time" (Lol, like "Sam's Time" in Transformers!)

He was just sitting there watching Roy!

It's all up to you, people! So let me know!

Thanks, it's been fun, and I'll definitely have to write more one shots and ficlets about Roy and Mullet in the future, no doubt about it!

* * *

_Sincerely,_

**Inkyish.**


	7. Epilogue

**- -Making Amends- -**

* * *

_Chapter Seven,_ Epilogue

* * *

Last Chapter:

"_When she was just about to plant one on me, I panicked. I thought of you, and… well, I just came to it then."_

_"She didn't try to mess with you after?" Mullet asked._

_"Nope. I told her to bug off." Roy grinned, and Mullet chuckled._

_"Good."_

_With that, he lifted his head up and kissed Roy once more._

* * *

Almost a year later, Roy cleaned up their apartment. He huffed as he bent down to grab another article of _his_ clothing, his back popping from the movement. 

He never expected for things to turn out as they did, but he wasn't complaining. He was extremely lucky, Roy thought, to have found a person like Mullet Fingers. At first, it was kind of awkward, for both boys had literally no expertise in the dating field, but then things loosened up and they went into a mellow flow of things.

Roy never expected Mullet to be the type to take his date out to some place like the movies, and he was partially correct. Mullet Fingers occasionally broke his hermit habits so that he could go to places with Roy in public. Mostly, though, they spent time with each other in the comfort of the wild side of Florida, and Roy didn't mind much.

He remembered the late nights he had in the shoe factory, and the few times he spent the entire night there. It wasn't as comfortable as a warm home, but with Mullet there, Roy didn't mind as much. He also forced Mullet to stay over Roy's house once in a while. Mullet didn't seem to mind, because he _loved_ curling up in Roy's bed, spooning around Roy's smaller body.

Roy would always blush whenever he thought about Mullet, because things as of late had become extremely intimate. No, they hadn't done anything past third-base, but it was still all so new to both teens. Even though they were both legal adults, they were both admittedly inexperienced virgins.

Seven months into their strong-held relationship, Roy moved out of his parents' house and got his own apartment not too far away. He offered to share the abode with Mullet, who at first shied away from the idea of it, but then decided to take up on Roy's offer after a few days of avoiding each other. Mullet figured it wouldn't be _so_ bad, and there were the Everglades not too far from the complex (it was most likely because there were no parents to walk in on them, and because there was a huge bed in the apartment's bedroom).

Still together months after their big move, Roy and Mullet were both members of society. Roy worked day shifts at a bookstore while he took online college courses when he came home, and he planned on becoming a book editor in the future. Mullet Fingers got the interesting job of being an aquarium employee, and he enjoyed his seven-to-twelve-hour-workdays. Mullet never planned on going to college, but Roy had forced him to at least graduate high school.

Mullet yawned, stretching as he walked into the living room. Roy huffed as he felt a familiar pair of arms wrap around his middle, and muttered,

"Can't you see I'm trying to clean up here?"

Mulled chuckled, and kissed the nape of the boy's neck.

"Yes, I can see that."

After a few moments of Mullet's hands still attached to him, Roy sighed.

"I guess I'm not cleaning anymore today?" he asked. "You're a smart one," Mullet said, and Roy felt the man's lips part in a grin against his neck. He hissed when he felt teeth sink into the skin on his collarbone, and moaned out as Mullet sucked gently on the bruising skin.

"Mullet… it's… like, not even past six…" Roy argued weakly, feeling his knees begin to buckle.

"So?"

"Shouldn't we be doing this kind of stuff later on…at night?"

"Are there written rules for 'this kind of stuff'?" Mullet laughed quietly, his voice husky. Roy gulped, feeling his face flush a bit.

"But… I should clean up if Beatrice is coming in to Florida tomorrow morning," He muttered, moving his head to the side so Mullet could get a better angle.

"She's coming _tomorrow_."

"Tomorrow morning."

"She won't care if the place is a pigsty, and besides, the place is practically _spotless_." Mullet bit Roy's earlobe teasingly, enjoying Roy's intake of breath.

"There's dusting… vacuuming, laundry to do…" Roy bickered poorly, sliding his eyes shut.

"I did two load of colors and darks before I went to work this morning, you vacuumed before we went to bed last night, and there's no dust that could have collected over a span of two days." Mullet said with finality, and steered the two of them to the bedroom.

Roy sighed as he was pinned onto the freshly made bed, Mullet on top of him, and let Mullet attack his lips. He eagerly slipped his tongue out to meet Mullet's, and groaned as the deliciously evil tongue of his boyfriend's ran over his own teeth. He gently bit the tongue, and got a resounding moan from Mullet.

One of them accidentally moved their hips-either up (Roy) or down (Mullet)-and their lower bodies rubbed together. They both froze from the electric shock of the action, and Mullet bit down on Roy's lower lip-hard, nearly drawing blood from the sensitive tissue. Mullet groaned out even louder, if possible, and Roy was breathless.

They both tore away from each other's mouths, and Mullet bent down to nip at Roy's neck as he chafed their hips together, delighting in the new and quickly common results.

Roy was panting from the overwhelming heat that was consuming him from the inside out, and was ready to cry out in frustration, from what he didn't know. Mullet growled; he seemed to feel the same thing.

He wasn't prepared for Mullet's hand to travel to his pair of grey shorts, and Roy gasped as Mullet's fingers brushed against his hardened manhood. His eyes shot open instantaneously, and quickly glanced up at Mullet. The man was looking down at him, his eyes darkened into a violent ocean-during-a-storm-color from the passion he felt. Mullet had a question in his eyes, one only Roy could spot, and Roy nodded minutely, and dragged Mullet down onto him as Mullet's hand began to stroke.

Roy was mumbling incoherently when Mullet stopped, and he mewled as the warm, talented hand was removed. He blushed at the new sound coming from him, but Mullet seemed to enjoy it, and forced their lips together again.

Roy slipped his hands down to the buttoned shirt Mullet wore, and tried with shaking hands to undo the buttons. He hissed in annoyance when they wouldn't undo themselves for him, and Mullet pushed Roy's fumbling hands away, and opened each button himself. He laughed throatily as Roy eagerly pushed off the shirt.

Mullet mimicked Roy's actions, and they both were thankful that Roy had on a plain t-shirt.

Quickly after, shorts were shed off, and they were both left in just their boxers. Roy experimentally tweaked one of Mullet's dusky nipples, and Mullet rasped and shuddered simultaneously. Roy grinned evilly and latched onto the other with his mouth, suckling onto it and eliciting sounds from Mullet that he'd never really heard before.

He sighed when he was torn away from the delicious tanned chest he was drawn to, and murmured out as Mullet bit down on his neck-again-and pinched one of Roy's already-hardened nipples. Roy squeaked from the pain and pleasure combination, and his hips twitched up instinctively, colliding with Mullet's. They rubbed together again, and Roy was tearing up from the overpowering feeling of being stuck on the top of a roller coaster that suddenly stopped on the tracks. He wanted to soar down, into whatever came after this dissatisfactory, almost painful pent-up feeling.

He dug his nails into Mullet's back, and Mullet paused, looking down at Roy. He gently kissed the bruised, full lips of his boyfriend before speaking.

"Roy…" It came out hoarsely, and Mullet tried again after clearing his throat a few times.

"Roy, do you want to…" He trailed off, gesturing with his hands the rest of what he couldn't say. Roy hesitated a moment, and blushed.

It hurt, didn't it? He knew that much. But he didn't know _how_; he knew how it worked with girls and boys, but what about them?

Mullet saw the confusion in Roy's eyes, and piped up.

"I read this book-thing when I was waiting one day for you to finish work. I know _all_ about this." He grinned mischievously, though he was slightly blushing.

Roy let out a_ whoosh_ of air, and grabbed Mullet by his forearms.

"Doesn't it… hurt?" He asked fearfully. Roy was never one who dealt with pain well.

Mullet took one of his hands and ran it through Roy's brunette locks, lovingly tracing his entire face and stopping on the tip of Roy's nose."It will, but I promise I'll do my best to make it feel good for you. I'll control everything tonight, since you don't know a thing about what you're doing," He teased, kissing Roy who was stuttering nervously.

"But--" Roy began, and Mullet interrupted him.

"Do you trust me?" He asked simply. Roy furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, but replied immediately.

"Of course."

"Then let me do this, for you; for us. Please?" He asked in quiet tones, intimately grazing beneath Roy's chin with the tip of his tongue. Roy closed his eyes and nearly purred.

"Okay…" He said quietly.

Mullet smiled and kissed Roy's jaw once before tracing down Roy's sides with his fingertips, stopping at the waistband of Roy's boxers. He paused, waiting for Roy to stop him if he wanted, and when Roy waited with his eyes closed, Mullet slowly pulled the clothing downward.

He took in the wonderful beauty of a completely nude Roy against the hunter green satin bedspread, and kissed Roy on the mouth, slowly stepping out of his own boxers as he did so. He tossed the undergarments off to the side with the rest of the clothing from tonight, and hovered over Roy.

Roy slowly opened up his eyes, and stared calmly at Mullet. Mullet grinned lazily back as his hands dropped down to caress the smooth skin of Roy's inner thighs. Roy gave a little twitch but didn't stop him.

* * *

Sigh. I had to cut the _**LEMON!**_ scene there, to keep it safe. I found out that you're not allowed to go into sex scenes, even in Mature-rated stories… wow! Anyway, I didn't really write anymore to it, but if a few reviewers would like the whole scene, I'd be happy to write up something to go along with it. 

Oh. Right. Back to the story!

* * *

Mullet Fingers sighed in contentment, gradually opening up his eyes to take in the sunlight streaming from the bedroom window. Roy was next to him, breathing in and out soundlessly and still asleep. 

He smiled when he thought back to last night. Everything had gone wonderfully, and he couldn't wait to do that again. He'd have to check out the other books on varied methods of—

His thoughts halted when Roy mumbled cutely in his sleep and turned to latch onto Mullet's bare midriff. Mullet chuckled at Roy's tight hold, and relaxed into his pillow. He looked over at the bedside clock to check the time…

"Shit!" He ground out, and Roy instantly woke up.

"Wha?" He said intelligently, blinking in confusion as he tried to jolt his sleep-muddled mind into getting clearer.

"Beatrice, she's due here in an hour!" Mullet complained, and got up from the bed. Roy hissed in annoyance, but got out of bed as well. He blushed as he stumbled slightly on his feet, and he was forced to plop-albeit very carefully-back down onto the bed. Mullet was about to walk out but when he didn't hear Roy come up behind him, he turned around to quizzically look at his boyfriend. Suddenly, a smirk broke across his features, causing Roy to blush even deeper.

"Oh." Was all he said, and cackled evilly as Roy hid his burning face in his hands. He approached Roy casually, whistling as he did. Roy looked up and growled at Mullet, glaring as Mullet sat down beside him on the bed.

"Sorry, forgot about that little quirk." Mullet ground out with a straight face, before his face broke out in a grin.

"Yeah, right. Forgot." Was all Roy could say. He tried getting up again, this time slowly. Mullet didn't get up and only watched as Roy tried to bend down to pick up the clothes scattered around the room, giving up after a few moments of comically struggling to bow down enough.

He caught Mullet staring at him, and hissed out,

"What?"

Mullet shook his head, his smile softening.

"You look so… I don't know. It's just seeing you like that."

"What, acting like a fifty-foot pole is jammed up my ass? Well… it seemed like there was one up there last night, I'll admit." He quipped, though he blushed a little. Mullet looked startled at first, but then he burst out in laughter, and rolled off of the bed in his fit.

"I love you." He sighed out after the last giggles were out of him.

Suddenly, the atmosphere grew thicker, and Roy stared in shock at Mullet, who in turn looked awed himself.

"What?" Roy gasped out faintly, his legs shaking. He placed a hand on the wall to steady himself.

Mullet looked up, wide-eyed. He sat on the floor, Indian-style, with his hands curled up into light fists on either side of him.

"…I love you." He repeated, though this time a bit more shakily.

"You-you do?" Roy asked quietly, licking his suddenly dry lips.

Mullet Fingers quickly stood and paced towards Roy, and took the man into his embrace. He looked seriously into Roy's brown eyes, and nodded.

"I do. I love you, Roy Eberhardt."

Roy choked out a rough laugh, and wrapped his arms around Mullet's neck, shakily smiling.

"Y-You know that I love you too, Mullet." His eyes filled with unshed tears, and he closed his eyes as Mullet kissed him softly, lovingly, and patiently, and Roy sighed as the romantic kiss came to an end.

"Come on, I'm sure we have time for a quick shower before B gets here," Mullet said, and added slyly,

"I think we have to share one though, you know, to save time."

* * *

Beatrice knocked on the light blue door that had the brass letters '339' nailed onto its surface, holding her large duffel bag on one shoulder. She almost knocked again, but the door quickly opened up. 

She smiled warmly at the older-looking Roy and Mullet, and her grin wavered as she noticed how the both of them seemed to… glow was the only proper word.

"…Hey guys." She greeted suspiciously.

She knew that nearly twelve months prior, Roy had found Mullet in that bush stalking the brunette. Beatrice had felt almost obligated to whack her stepbrother over the head for his stupidity and lack of being subtle (Mullet had sent over a letter describing the events leading to their shaky friendship). But then, another letter came from her honorary brother, not more than a week apart from the other letter he sent, and it told of how Roy and Mullet Fingers hooked up. Instead of threatening Roy to take care of her nature-boy, she was enforcing-firmly-that Mullet was good to Roy. Of course, Mullet readily agreed, and every few weeks, she'd get a report from her brother about his boyfriend. At times, she'd felt that Mullet was becoming extremely obsessed with the cowgirl.

But then, late one night as she sat in her aunt's guest room beneath a cozy homemade quilt, she got a sudden realization that Mullet Fingers was definitely in love with his boyfriend, or at least extremely infatuated. She couldn't fall asleep at all that night, and paid for it in the morning during her finals.

She didn't say a peep to Mullet about her hunch, but made sure that Mullet didn't do anything stupid. She reminded him a week ahead about Roy's birthday, only to get a response back saying that Mullet had pre-ordered a gift for his beau. She was flabbergasted at his commitment. Since when did Napoleon and commitment go together like peanut butter and jelly?

She was confused when she saw how dazed and happy the two of them looked, and smirked to herself: they were in love. Something had probably occurred while she was getting to Florida, because now she and Mullet would call each other constantly now that Mullet lived in an actual 'house'.

"Hey, B! Lemme grab that for you!" Mullet offered too enthusiastically, and Beatrice couldn't utter more than a syllable before she was empty-handed. Roy grabbed her free hand and pulled her inside, shutting the door behind them.

"Hello, Beatrice! How's it going?" Roy asked brightly with a grin, and led her to the living room. She sat down on the love seat, as Roy went to the kitchen to get some iced tea and glasses. Mullet zipped back into the room a minute later, the bag gone from sight. He lazily draped himself onto the recliner across from Beatrice, and Beatrice raised her eyebrows up in a questioning manner. Mullet chuckled, and said,

"So how was your flight here?"

"Pretty good…" she trailed off, watching as Roy bent down-slightly stiffly-to place the pitcher of iced tea and three mugs down onto the coffee table, and her eyes widened as Mullet wrapped his arms around Roy from behind, slipping Roy onto his lap. Roy looked a bit pained, but quickly readjusted himself in his human seat. Mullet still kept his hands around Roy's thin waist, his fingers slowly rubbing circles on Roy's clothing-covered abdomen. Beatrice coughed out,

"I see you two are still together."

They both grinned, and Mullet asked,

"How couldya tell?"

* * *

Wow, it's… over! _cries_ Oh well. All things _must_ come to an end eventually, and sadly, this is where Making Amends finishes. 

I loved the smut scene in here, though it's not nearly as graphic as I'd prefer (hah!).

I wanted to wait a while before they got too serious, so I figured with a year passed, they'd both be nineteen or twenty, and living on their own. They were in a year-long relationship that didn't previously involve anything more than making out, so I figured it was kind of balanced out, plot-wise. I mean, what author would have them having intercourse a day or so after they hooked up?

I hope you all enjoyed this, and again, I won't be continuing this story. I did say that maybe, once I get my Harry Potter story almost completely finished, I'd be writing another Hoot story. I will, I swear! I have a story idea all planned out in my noggin, and I may even pre-write the entire thing for once! _audience gasps_

So now… I get to say goodbye to this lovely little ficlet, Making Amends. Thank you for being there, for letting me write you when I had writer's block with my other story! I'll never forgetteth thee! _dramatic swoon-sigh_

Well, the end. :D

* * *

_Sincerely,_

**Inkyish.**


End file.
